Skin care is very important. Many are turning to plant based and natural remedies. Certain plant-derived constituents can protect skin from deleterious effects, carcinogens, and a variety of chemical interactions. This concept has much scientific backing.
Human skin includes the epidermis, dermis and subcutis. The epidermis includes the stratum corneum and an underlying pigment layer. The stratum corneum is the outer layer of skin that protects the body. It is composed primarily of layers of dead, flattened keratinocytes surrounded by a phospholipid matrix. This acts in a similar as brick and mortar wall and functions to provide barrier to a microbial parasites as well as environmental toxins. The stratum corneum also presents a significant barrier to the delivery of transdermal drugs, vitamins, minerals, nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals.
There are two major transdermal pathways. One is the intercellular route, which includes the movement of topically applied product around the cells of the stratum corneum via a phospholipid matrix that surrounds the cells. This is a tortuous path, so there are challenges to optimizing the speed of delivery and efficacy of skin-improving substances.
The other pathway is the transcellular pathway, which includes skin-improving substances directly passing through the cytoplasm of the dead keratinocytes of the stratum corneum, as well as the phospholipids matrix surrounding the cells. This is a more direct pathway yet there are still many challenges.
In either case, spraying a formulated fluid at a controlled pressure, spray pattern, and flow rate way can enhance penetration through the stratum corneum, so that the beneficial substances in the formulated fluid can penetrate and nourish the dermis, and in some cases enter the vasculature directly through the skin.
In the case of cosmetics and cosmeceuticals, the spray pattern, flow rate and other delivery aspects can be adjusted to optimize delivery to a desired region of the skin. For example, certain cosmetics can be delivered to provide a uniform coating on top of the stratum corneum, certain pigmentation products may be designed to reach the pigment layer under the stratum corneum.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,091,803 to Fedorov discloses a spraying device having a removable spray nozzle unit. A front end of the spraying device has a predefined cavity that receives and operatively connects with the spray nozzle unit. The device includes a liquid storage tank and a connector to a pressurized gas source. The pressurized gas passes the liquid storage tank and creates a low pressure region that utilizes the Venturi Effect to pull liquid out of the liquid storage tank. The tank has a removable cover to enable refilling of the liquid.
While the Fedorov invention represents advancement in the art, maintaining a connection to pressurized air source limits the use of the device to those that have compressed air available. Most consumers, while having a myriad of gadgets in their dressing room, lack a compressed air source. Further, refilling a liquid storage tank may result in spillage.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,899 to Mehta includes an airbrush delivery system having gravity feed cup, which extends from the airbrush device. The feed cup is cone shaped for easily delivering liquid to the air brush. The air brush system includes a compressed air source attached to the air brush device. The cone shaped cup apparently funnels liquid into the air brush. While the cone shape has one enlarged end to apparently inhibit spillage, a user may find that a rapid change in orientation of the air brush could challenge the ability of the cone shaped feed cup to confine the liquid.
What is desired is a way to bring the convenience of an air brush to the public in a way that is convenient and not messy.